Love Lock
by Iamawitch
Summary: I'm going to send you my heart. I'm going to send you my heart piece by piece. Based on CP Coulter's "Dalton". Larythe


**A/N**: This is my very first attempt on writing a Larythe ff, I hope you guys will enjoy it! Reviews will be highly appreciated!

**Disclaimer**: All the characters belong to Glee and CP Coulter's "Dalton".

* * *

Promises.

Promises never seemed to hold much value between Sebastian and Julian.

They vowed not to talk about…to think about Paris ever again, but they did.

They also vowed not to fall for each other, yet they…or at least Sebastian… broke that promise.

And they both vowed to find someone someday.

They had already.

They just never did anything about it.

And now…perhaps it was too late.

0 0 0

When Sebastian flopped onto the sofa and had a sip of his second brew of coffee today, he casually rested his legs onto the coffee table in front of him and grabbed a macaron.

He never liked them that much. But now he just felt like the sweet colourful macarons and the black bitter Joe complimented each other rather nicely.

It was a warm, sunny afternoon.

And instead of finding another prey, Sebastian Smythe surprised himself by staying at home, watching TV.

Perhaps he's getting old. For once in his lifetime he preferred being alone, soaking himself in the sun, enjoying the serenity all by himself.

Or perhaps he would like to stay indoors, just to get reminded of what he had experienced the last time this happened.

Just when he was gazing out at the cloudless sky, he felt a flicker of movement. And the next moment, he found himself being pressed lightly at his thigh.

His face brightened up a little and started stroking the furry body of his new kitten without his eyes leaving the TV screen. This particular action rather reminded him of a much warmer, longer, leaner and a much less hairy body pressing against him quite a while back.

_The summer air was soft and warm  
The feeling right, the Paris night  
Did its best to please us  
And strolling down the Elysee  
We had a drink in each café  
And you  
You talked of Politics, Philosophy and I  
Smiled like Mona Lisa  
We had our chance  
It was a fine and true romance_

It was also a warm and sunny day.

They didn't feel like going out.

So instead, they stayed at Julian's hotel room and enjoyed each other's company. And somehow, Julian ended up sleeping on his lap. Sebastian, like with the kitten, gently stroke Julian's soft smooth hair, and saw a smile tugging at the corner of Julian's face. Sebastian leaned in, kissing at that corner to make that smile bigger.

He had never thought he could enjoy something like this so much, and judging by the other brunet's reactions from time to time, he knew that this was new for Julian as well. Sometimes, Sebastian couldn't help but think that this was just a dream. It was, in a sense, too good to be true. It was just so surreal that he was afraid he would wake up at any moment, that he would have to leave this Wonderland.

To the kitten, Sebastian would just be some kind stranger that found it in the street, someone who was willing to take it home, to feed it and to care for it.

But all of this would only be temporary.

_I can still recall our last summer  
I still see it all  
Walks along the Seine, laughing in the rain  
Our last summer  
Memories that remain_

Perhaps it had never occurred to him…or to either of them the magnitude of the other person's intrusion into their lives.

He barged in, just like that - from yet another drunken night in Paris… it had turned into something special.

From the moment Julian asked him to step down from that bridge, something in the air had changed.

He was the one who asked Julian to go on an adventure with him, yes. Even though he knew Julian was playing for the other team at that time, he couldn't resist the temptation of being with the movie star for just a little bit longer.

He couldn't stay away from him.

Not when they first met.

And definitely not now.

What happened between them was a situation he never would have thought to be in in a million years. He always pulled himself out before anything had gone too deep.

But this time he couldn't.

He was too attached to Julian.

And by some miracle, he had an inkling that Julian felt the same way.

He would never tell Julian that, no.

He was supposed to be the bad guy, they both were. He had too much pride to admit something like that.

_We made our way along the river  
And we sat down in the grass  
By the Eiffel Tower  
I was so happy we had met  
It was the age of no regret  
Oh yes_

"You do realize there's no going back, don't you?"

All he got was a kiss in return.

He remembered…every single moment of it- The way Julian undressed, the way he kissed, the way he held him close, the way his warm eyes fluttered, the way he moaned, his whispers of 'oh's and 'ah's…

When they were together, everything else was like a blur. It was like the only thing that he could see was Julian. Everything else was silent. In his ears, there were only Julian's laughter, his jokes and his voice.

Sebastian lavished every single inch of his body, hoping to have it all stored into his memory vault, hoping to forever savor it, have it locked safely in the deepest part of his heart.

_Those crazy years, that was the time  
Of the flower-power  
But underneath we had a fear of flying  
Of growing old, the fear of slowly dying  
We took a chance  
Like we were dancing our last dance_

When Julian first suggested going to La Pont to have their locks put on the bridge, Sebastian found the idea ridiculous.

Many said that it was romantic, he called it stupid.

Because really, why would someone commit into such a lifelong promise?

Who would be able to say that their relationship could last forever?

Sebastian called it the bridge over troubled water.

Because…because how many keys of promises were thrown under there?

How many of those keys were actually willing to stay on the riverbed and how many more of those were regretting it instead, aching to be found and to unlock that heart?

And… how many keys were hoping that their lock, their lonely heart would get their wish fulfilled in there?

_I can still recall our last summer  
I still see it all  
In the tourist jam, round the Notre Dame  
Our last summer  
Walking hand in hand_

"Where are you bringing me today?"

"A place to see the lights. You're fond of them, aren't you?"

"It's broad daylight, how can you possibly find pretty lights?"Sebastian raised an eyebrow as Julian smirked in response and continued walking.

Curious, he followed suit and soon realized where they've ended up – Notre Dame by the Seine.

"A cathedral? Of all places?"Sebastian asked, bewildered.

Julian simply shrugged and beckoned the curious Sebastian to go inside.

Even with tourists swarming in and out of the cathedral, it still felt so tranquil and serene inside.

They didn't go far in. At one point, Julian stopped and whispered, "Look."

Sebastian followed Julian's gaze, tilting his head upwards, and immediately realized why the Hollywood star had brought him there.

Julian, of course, was looking at the famous stained glass window. With the sun shining outside, the window seemed to be emitting a light so bright that it could illuminate the whole place. The colours only added to the beauty.

"Do you come here often?" Sebastian asked, his eyes not leaving the window.

"Sometimes," Julian simply answered. "I find it peaceful here, it takes my mind off things."

Sebastian turned and looked at this boy who was famous the moment he was born. Having grown up in the limelight, he knew this boy must have put on a lot of masks for show. But as the lights hit that face, Sebastian knew, that was Julian's true self. And Sebastian also knew, right then, he was the one.

_Paris restaurants  
Our last summer  
Morning croissants  
Living for the day, worries far away  
Our last summer  
We could laugh and play_

It was that afternoon he failed to catch the flight.

He didn't know how long he had sat there, staring at the screen, hoping that somehow, the flight would appear up there again, saying that it's been delayed.

But when at last, he had finally, in ways he didn't know how, gotten back to his senses, he stood up and hired a cab.

He was leaving, yes, but without his soul.

He was just an empty shell, staring ahead with blank eyes. His soul was soaring high, along with Julian.

And when he finally got off, walking by the sidewalk, he saw it – a kitten by the window, with fur soft like silk, its eyes warm like a cozy fire.

Without having a second thought, he went in there and claimed it.

Just like the way he had hoped to claim Julian.

"What would you like to engrave on the collar, monsieur?"

"Kitten."

"Kitten? For the kitten, monsieur?"

"Oui. Just kitten is fine."

0 0 0

"Why are you squirming? Always scratching your neck like this?" The kitten kept on tempering on its neck, trying to bend its head sideways to lick at it. "Oh you don't like the collar? You're feeling uncomfortable?"

Sebastian kneeled down and unfastened it, "Well you're just like the one who you're named after, aren't you? You like to be free, cold as an iceberg to everyone else, almost unreachable."

The kitten purred in comfort, slightly rubbed its head on Sebastian's calf and walked away.

He was reaching for another macaron when the song started.

_'S wonderful! 'S marvelous!__  
__That you should care for me!__  
__'S awful nice! 'S paradise!__  
__'S what I love to see!_

They're playing Funny Face on TV, with Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn singing and dancing by the lake near that little chapel in Paris.

He remembered.

The first time he saw this movie, it was with this certain someone.

Here in Paris.

It was the morning after. They thought everything would turn back to normal but of course, after that night, how could everything go back to normal? They started talking for a long while. It was as if…it was as if there were endless topics they could talk about.

Everything was so innocent… so pure.

To Sebastian, it was like a fresh breath of air.

_You've made my__life__so glamorous__  
__You can't blame me for feeling amorous.__  
__Oh! 'S wonderful! 'S marvelous!__  
__That you should care for me!_

They just sat in bed, silently, holding each other's hands and turned on the TV. Funny Face was showing at that time. When Fred and Audrey were singing at the end of the movie… he didn't know if he had imagined it or not, somehow he felt that his hand was being held a bit tighter than before.

He had never felt this way towards anybody. He had never felt so close to anyone and who knew if this would be his only chance? He surprised himself by actually squeezing Julian's hand slightly, and got a small smile in return.

That was all he needed.

'_S wonderful! 'S marvelous!__  
__That you should care for me!__  
__'S awful nice! 'S paradise!__  
__'S what I love to see!_

It was too painful to watch, to remember.

He switched to another channel and what greeted him was that laugh that he knew so well.

That laugh that he would recognize anywhere, anytime.

Just when he was about to reach for the remote again, the anchor man's voice popped up. What they were showing was only the footage of one of Julian's recent interviews.

There was an accident back at his school. Nothing has come out yet, no one knew what was going on. The only piece of information they got was that Julian's being hospitalized.

They didn't know if he's alive or… or…

Sebastian felt all the bitter from the coffee and the sweetness from the macarons rushing right back up.

_My dear, it's four-leaf clover time__  
__From now on my heart's working overtime.__  
__Oh! 'S wonderful! 'S marvelous!__  
__That you should care for me!_

The next thing he knew, he was in the bathroom, slowly gasping, inhaling that foul smell of his vomit.

He slightly stumbled back to the door, and slid down.

He sat there for a long time and out of nowhere, the laughter started.

He pulled out his cell phone from the pocket and clutched at it, tight, and stared at the screen with such intensity he felt like he could burn holes through it.

He kept staring at it, hoping that somehow, it would ring and a message would jump out saying "I'm alright".

But then again, why would Julian text him?

Out of all people, why would Julian think of him?

Perhaps that blond that they saw at the mink coat boutique would take care of Julian.

He saw Julian's face lit up just as quickly as it darkened. He knew that boy must be someone special.

Sometimes Sebastian tried to phase out that blond's face, hoping that Julian was all his but that never happened.

He remembered Julian muttering something about 'La douleur exquise" and turned away.

La douleur exquise.

The heart-wrenching pain of wanting someone you can't have.

Sebastian didn't know what it meant at that time….or at least, he didn't understand it, because he had never felt it.

Now he did.

_Now he did._

The last thing he heard from J was "Happy Valentine's Day". And that was many months ago. They never contacted much. Perhaps to some degree, they knew that it's unnecessary. They both knew deep down, something had happened in Paris. But now that they were far apart, now that they've missed their chances on that very last day, their lives should go back to normal.

Perhaps Julian's had.

But Sebastian knew that his hadn't.

There wasn't a moment when he didn't try to stop thinking about J.

He fought really hard. And the more he tried to forget, the more he realized he couldn't give up on it.

Sebastian's love lock was there. And he would never be able to find it again.

The worst thing was, even if he could, he wouldn't be able to unlock it.

There was a tradition. After locking it on the bridge, everyone was supposed to throw the key into the river so that even if this love fell apart someday, you'll know that it had been there. Your heart would always be haunted by that other person.

Indeed.

His heart would forever be hanging by the bridge, held by two initials that were just loosely linked.

His heart would forever be hanging by the bridge, waiting to be claimed someday, waiting to have that promise realized.

Promise.

_Broken promise._

0 0 0

Love.

Amor.

They said Paris is the most romantic city of all.

But how many people would have even considered the number of heartbreaks that happened there?

No one would know.

No one would dare to share.

Not Sebastian.

_Especially not Sebastian._

He had a reputation to maintain.

He was too proud to admit his failure.

His love lock.

His love lost.

His douleur exquise.

He was simply too proud.

* * *

**A/N**: I'm a huge Jogan and Larythe fan but at the end of the day, I ship Julian/happiness the most... The songs used are "Our Last Summer" by ABBA and "'S Wonderful" by Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn from the movie "Funny Face".


End file.
